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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Adam Carolla to Depart; KLSX 97.1 to Flip to Top 40?

More big changes coming to the L.A. radio landscape: The industry is buzzing with rumors that CBS Radio is itching to go after KIIS-FM, the Clear Channel top 40 station that has dominated L.A. radio waves for years. KIIS has gone unchallenged in the Contemporary Hit Radio format for decades.

But now, CBS -- which last attempted top 40 in L.A. with KKHR 93.1 -- is poised to flip its long-running FM Talk station, 97.1 KLSX, to go after KIIS. Speculation is centering on the youth-oriented AMP Radio format, which already runs on the HD-2 signal for KCBS/93.1 "Jack FM."

According to Radio Insight, someone recently, quietly registered the web domains AmpRadioLA.com, Amp971.com, and Amp971fm.com on February 9.

Meanwhile, All Access is reporting that radio affiliates for the Adam Carolla Show have been told that the show's final day is Friday. Rumors are afloat that Friday is also the last day for fellow 97.1 hosts Tom Leykis and Frosty, Heidi and Frank. Where all of these hosts might end up is uncertain.

Carolla took over the 97.1 morning shift in January 2006, after Howard Stern migrated to satellite radio. His numbers have continued to improve, but the station has never quite recovered from Stern's decision to leave terrestrial radio. Meanwhile, 97.1 has been all-talk since 1995; before that, it aired a classic rock format (along with Stern in the morning).

UPDATE: It's official. Read the CBS Radio press release here. There you go, L.A. -- just what you wanted, more Beyonce and Justin Timberlake.